Neville and Luna - Night Time in the Castle
by MaddieLovegood
Summary: Neville Longbottom is stranded outside the Gryffindor Common Room after forgetting the password. Luna Lovegood comes across him and together, they explore the castle as the night progresses. Takes place in Neville's third year, and Luna's second though the story will continue until Neville's final year.
1. Chapter 1 - Sleepwalking, Dream Talking

Neville had managed to lock himself out of the Gryffindor common room for the third time that term. He'd already been at the school two years but couldn't recall the ever-changing password. Not ever his Remembrall could help him with that. Unfortunately, it was the middle of the night. He'd been locked out since after dinner, when he'd just gone to collect a piece of homework on Cornish Pixie behavior that he'd left in Defense Against the Dark Arts. No one was around to save him, no prefects, no teachers, no Harry Potter and co. He'd been sat outside the Fat Lady's portrait for what seemed like hours before he finally heard someone approaching. Neville prayed in wasn't Filch and Mrs. Norris; getting caught by those two guaranteed you a detention sweeping the floor of the Grand Hall. Twice. With a toothbrush.  
As the footsteps approached, he realised it wasn't Filch on night patrol. It was a girl. She looked like a first year, she was so small, but Neville knew not to judge people by their appearance. He barely looked his age, and was constantly teased back in the Muggle world for his baby face. The girl stopped when she neared Neville. There was a stream of light that gathered where she stood, fizzing around her long, wavy blonde hair, so if it was following her. She was wearing a pair of Converse trainers that looked slightly scuffed around the edges. Neville thought this was odd compared to his flannel slippers.

"Hello there," she said, though it sounded more like a whisper.

"Hello," Neville said uncertainly. The girl's black robe held the Ravenclaw crest so she was unlikely to know the Gryffindor password.

"How are you?" She asked the question as if she was used to skipping into boys wearing blue and white striped pajamas in the middle of the night.

"I'm locked out," he replied, "I can never remember the password." On second thought, Neville was thankful the girl was a Ravenclaw. If a Slytherin had found him they would probably have laughed and laughed, then ran to go get Filch. Always spies, the Slytherins. Not to be trusted.

The girl nodded. "I like to slip out of the common room sometimes. The paintings are so much easier to talk to without everyone crowding the corridors."  
"Won't they all be asleep?" Neville furrowed his eyebrows. The Fat Lady was snoring loudly, along with the other painted figures, who had their heads bowed in the dark.

"Not all of them. The ghosts hardly ever sleep. They're fun to talk to." The girl smiled. It was a soft smile, one that encouraged bravery and friendship. Neville got up from the floor, afraid that his legs would cramp and he would fall over.

"I'm Neville Longbottom," he introduced himself. He held out his hand for her to shake.

"I'm Luna Lovegood," she continued to smile as she shook his hand. Her's were small and delicate, his were rough and clammy. "Would you like to walk with me?"

Neville looked left and right, to check that no one was around. "OK, sure." Luna let go of his hand and started to walk down the corridor, along to the first staircase she came across. Neville followed.

"How did you get here?" Neville asked, knowing full well that the Ravenclaw common room was up in the North Tower, pretty faraway from the Gryffindor dormitories.

"I sleepwalk. A lot of the time, I have no idea where my feet will take me. I'll just wake up and be in the middle of the Trophy Room or outside the entrance to Dumbledore's office."

"Is that why you're wearing shoes?"

"Yes, I always wear shoes to bed, ever since my sleepwalking took me to the Quidditch pitch in a rainstorm." Neville tried to imagine how heavy Luna's hair must be when wet. It came down to her waist in white blond strands. Pretty, he thought.

"You're lucky I woke up when I did. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have noticed you," Luna scaled the stairs, skipping down two at a time. Neville sighed. He was used to not being noticed. There were so many strong personalities in his year that it was easy to overlook the boy with an estranged grandmother.

"Lucky," Neville repeated. "Where are we going?"

"I'm not sure," Luna shrugged. "It's more of an adventure that way."

The two children descended three sets of staircases before Luna decided to turn onto the corridors, and down to the Transfiguration classrooms.

"Tell me about yourself, Neville. What's it like in the third year?"

"There's not much to tell really." Neville set his pace so that he was always a stride behind Luna. "I live with my grandmother…and I forget things."

"Like the Gryffindor password?"

"Stuff like that."

"What's your grandmother like?"

Neville flinched. He wasn't ashamed of his grandmother, but people tended to label her as 'strange', which was a word he didn't like to identify with. "Protective," he settled with, seeing that as the safe option. "What about you?"

"I live with my dad," she said. "He's the editor-in-chief of the Quibbler magazine," she looked over her shoulder at Neville. He'd heard of the Quibbler as a crackpot magazine, something that his grandmother always used to line the cat's litter tray. He decided not to mention this.

"That must be fun for your dad to have such a cool job," Neville smiled at her, deciding to close the gap between their walking paces.

"Yeah, it is. He goes away a lot to research things. Sometimes I go away with him and sometimes I just stay at home," she sighed a little, like it bothered her, but Neville didn't like to pry about people's family life, especially since his wasn't particularly normal.

"Do you often spend time alone?" He asked boldly.

"Yes," she replied without hesitation. "Sometime it's better to be alone; you notice a lot more things when people aren't around to capture your attention, like these sprites for instants," she gestured to her hair, that was bouncing around her sides as she walked. "They're attracted to pale things. I found them hanging around the Astronomy Tower."

"I spend a lot of time alone too."

"Maybe we could be alone together?" She stopped in the corridor causing Neville to draw up next to her. She took his hand. He didn't mind. "It's always the quiet ones that end up with the most fulfilling lives, don't you think?"

He squeezed her hand gratefully. "Absolutely."

They wondered the castle in silence for a few minutes, listening to the soft snores of the overhead paintings until Luna pushed Neville behind a statue of an old witch that time forgot.

"What are you doing?" He whispered.

"I thought I heard something. We don't want to get caught."

"Maybe we should go back to our dormitories now, you know, don't want to push our luck."

"Both our dormitories are _that _way anyway," Luna pointed along the supposed 'noisy' corridor. "It could just be Peeves."

"Or Filch." Neville shivered involuntarily. He hated the fact he was scared of breaking the rules, of not being brave enough to face consequences. In his first year, he'd been taken into the Forbidden Forest on punishment for being caught out of bed, and wasn't prepared for a second visit to the evil-infested wood. He crouched down so he was sat, leaning against the statue. Luna followed suit, not wanting to mention he'd partly trapped her hair when he sat.

"What's the matter?" Her soft, blue eyes met his. The moonlight from the window cast shadows on her heart-shaped face.

"I think I got put into the wrong house," he scratched his head. The issue had been nagging him for over a year, when he realised he was the butt of all the jokes and the always played the role of the unfortunate kid that got stuck in sticky situations. "I'm not brave enough for Gryffindor."

"I don't understand," she shook her head in confusion. "You're plenty brave."

"No I'm not."

"Yes, you are. You agreed to wonder the castle with me, didn't you?" Luna nodded encouragingly. "Just because you're worried about being caught doesn't make you any less brave for doing it in the first place."

"I haven't done anything great, anything worthy to prove myself a true Gryffindor." Neville cast his eyes to the floor.

"The Sorting Hat must think you will preform some great act of bravery, otherwise it wouldn't have put you in Gryffindor. It's never wrong when it comes to destiny."

"I'm no Harry Potter."

"You're comparing yourself to The Boy Who Lived?" Luna giggled. Neville liked the sound. "Neville, some people are born with greatness and others _achieve _greatness." She put her hand in his; a perfect fit. "I know you'll achieve greatness."

Neville felt some colour flush his cheeks. "I didn't know you were so wise," he laughed without reserve, feeling that the poltergeist (if that was indeed what had made a noise in the first place) had moved on.

When she looked up, her cheeks held the same pink glow that his did. "I wasn't put in Ravenclaw for nothing."


	2. Chapter 2 - Finding Luna

Neville wasn't worried about holding Luna's hand on the way back to the Gryffindor dormitories. It didn't take long before he was reacquainted with the Fat Lady. Still snoring. Not such a lady after all.

"I guess this is goodbye," Neville said, looking directly at Luna. He wanted to make sure he remembered everything about her: the way her hair fell, the sparkle of her eyes, the bounce in her step. Just everything.

"For now." Luna practically glowed.

"Will I see you again?"

"I'm sure of it. Have sweet dreams!" she called as she retreated, throwing a quick glance over her shoulder at Neville as she ran up a staircase to the North Tower.

Neville knew he'd sleep well. He'd dream of Luna.

Over the next few weeks, Neville looked out for her in the Great Hall, in between classes, and in the Library. He tried to find the Ravenclaw dormitory entrance but got completely lost and ending up by the Defense Against the Dark Arts classrooms. He didn't have any shared lessons with the Ravenclaws, but even so, Luna was only a second year. Who else did he know that was a second year?

One evening, after scouring Transfiguration classrooms in hope of spotting Luna's iridescent blonde hair, he trudged back up to the common room to discover Ginny Weasley sitting alone by the fireplace. Now was his chance to see what Ginny knew of Luna Lovegood, and her irregular timetable.

"Ginny?" Neville said her name to draw her attention away from the book that sat open on her lap. The pages were filled with drawings of mermaids and sea creatures that supposedly dwelled in the Black Lake.

"What is it Neville?" she sounded irritated about being disturbed.

"Can I ask you a question?"

She nodded, turning the page of her book without looking.

"Do you know Luna Lovegood? She's a Ravenclaw," he mentioned to clarify.

Ginny nodded again. "She's in my Potions class. Always day dreaming and never adding the right ingredients at the right time."

Neville smiled. He was equally hopeless at potion making and was glad he and Luna shared that trait.

"What else?"

"Umm…well, the only other things we do together are flying lessons. She doesn't own her own broomstick…" Ginny trailed off as her twin brothers came running down the stairs of the boys' dormitories.

"Ginny, come and play Wizard's Chess with us. This time, we're convinced we can beat Ron at his own game," Fred called over. Without a fuss, Ginny closed her book and went to join her brothers. The Weasley brothers had become really protective of their only sister after the attack last year. Neville had no doubt that Percy, the Prefect, was checking to make sure she didn't go picking up any more black diaries.

"I hope that helped you Neville," she said. "Sorry I didn't know much else."

"That's OK, thanks for the help." Neville paced over to the window, getting ready to draw the heavy curtains. Before he pulled the golden tasseled cords, he swore he caught a glimpse of a fairy like figure, walking into the Forbidden Forest, white blond hair glinting in the moonlight exactly the same way it had before. Neville shook his head.

_Must be my imagination._

An idea struck Neville the minute his head hit the pillow. _I found Luna the night I got locked out of the common room. Surely, all I have to do now is sit outside and wait for her to skip past me again?_ He carefully pushed the patchwork quilt away from him, and slid his feet into his flannel slippers. The other boys in the dormitory were already asleep; he could hear Dean's heavy breathing in the bed next to him. Just to be sure, he walked on tiptoe across the room and opened the door as carefully as he could, knowing it had a tendency to squeak when shoved too hard.

Down the stone steps he went, until he came to the common room entrance. No one was dithering around the dying fire or snoozing in an armchair. No one around meant no one could ask where he was going. He chuckled, thinking of how in his first year, he'd stood up to Harry, Ron and Hermione when they were trying to escape to the third floor. He could remember all too clearly the pain of hitting the floor when Hermione cast the petrification curse. Never did Neville think that he'd be the one escaping but something about him had changed. He was no longer afraid of being caught (although still slightly afraid of the punishment.) Luna had helped change his mindset, and he meant to thank her.

Without a moment's hesitation, Neville stepped out of the common room and into the hallway. Unlike before, some of the painted figures hadn't yet fallen asleep. Their eyes were drooping with fatigue but they continued to stay awake. Neville wondered why.

After a few minutes of just standing beside the Fat Lady, he decided to move. As he did, the portraits on the opposite side of the wall began to stir. One of them coughed to clear their throat; the other rubbed their eyes.

"Are you Neville Longbottom?" A man with a Shakespearian collar whispered.

Neville didn't know what to do. A portrait had never spoken directly to him. He did the only thing he thought sensible: replied. "Yes, I am."

"Are you indeed looking for a Miss Luna Lovegood?" Neville drew his head back in surprise. How did the paintings know about his quest to find Luna? The portrait seemed to read his mind. "We paintings are the eyes and ears of this school, Neville. We know a lot more than you think."

"Do you know where Luna is?"

"I often see her skipping down these halls. She liked to watch the armour down the hall," The painted man motioned to the collection of armour that lined the west side of the corridor. "Nice girl, full of spirit."

"But do you know where I can find her?" Neville was beginning to grow impatient. He didn't want to have to wait any longer for his answer.

"I believe I saw her go down to the Kitchens in search of some extra dessert," the man chuckled. "The chocolate iced buns did look particularly nice today, I saw a couple of first years smuggling them into their-" before the gentleman could finish, Neville took off down the closest flight of stairs.

He would finally be reunited with Luna. Good job he knew exactly where the Kitchens were.


	3. Chapter 3 - Desert and Dandiwurkles

The painting hadn't lied to him. Luna was right where he said she would be.

"There you are," Luna said without turning round. Neville could hear the smile in her voice as she spoke. The odd house elf was still cleaning plates from the extensively prepared meal of that evening. They didn't speak. Neville could only hear the scrubbing sound of a brush against cutlery.

"Have you been expecting me?"

"You're the only other person I know that has a tendency to be out of bed at this hour." She licked some chocolate icing from her finger. "The elves really out did themselves with the dessert tonight, it's no wonder I found myself here." She picked up another iced bun that was sat on china plate next to her. "Here, take one. Clyde won't mind." Luna nodded towards the elf that was stacking the dishwasher. "He always leaves a few treats out for wondering students."

Neville approached the table and collected one of the remaining buns. It really was delicious. "It sounds like your stomach has more control over your feet than your brain." Neville wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"I often think so, but my brain likes to wonder more than my feet. Just yesterday, I was sat in the library and had the strangest thought-" Neville listened in rapture as Luna recited her strange thoughts. He didn't think them strange at all, he thought they were wonderful. _She _was wonderful. But, he could have sworn he'd checked the library yesterday – how had he not caught sight of her?

Suddenly, _Neville _had a strange thought. _What if Luna is a figment of my imagination? _That couldn't be right. If it were true, then Ginny wouldn't have been able to see her. Still, Neville had to prove it to himself that he wasn't imagining her. He reached out his hand. Luna thought he was collecting the last iced bun so was surprised to feel his hand run through her hair. It fell through his fingers like spun gold.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, trying not to sound too perplexed. He tucked her hair behind her left ear, displaying the beaded radish earrings she'd made herself.

"N-nothing's wrong," Neville stammered, trying to think of something to say that wouldn't make him sound like an idiot, if Luna didn't think that already. "Would you like to split the last bun?"

Luna grinned. "There's nothing I'd like more."

When the last of the dessert was gone, Neville followed Luna up to the North Tower. He wanted, no, _needed,_ to know where the Ravenclaw common room was so that he'd never lose her again. As they reached the painted black door, next to a hanging tapestry of a beautiful woman with raven black hair, Neville shifted nervously from foot to foot, not wanting to be absent of Luna's company.

"It was awfully nice of you to walk me to my room," she said, aware of the heat flooding to her cheeks, "and to come find me in the Kitchens. It's nice to have company that understands the way I think."

"No problem, I just wanted the iced buns," Neville replied, thinking he'd never told a bigger lie. His grandmother would tell him that a thirteen year old boy was not capable of love, that he was too young to understand his heart's emotions, but there was something about Luna made him feel _right._ It might not have been love, but it was definitely something.

"Well, you best go; I don't think it's advised for other house members to know one other's passwords."

"Of course, you're right. Good night, fair maiden." He bowed.

"Farewell, good sir," Luna curtsied, and watched as he turned the corner. Then she whispered, "Corvus pluma," to the door and slipped out of sight. Neville strained to hear the words down the hall, and knew this was a password he wasn't likely to forget.

Having said that he'd never lose Luna again, he did lose her. As teachers eased in to giving out homework and the topic of exams was brought up, Neville lost a lot of his precious free time. Time he would have spent looking for Luna was now spent hunched over a scroll of parchment, scribbling away about ancient world rune translation or the position of the stars. When his brain wasn't completely exhausted from learning the correct way to hold one's wand, or turn a rabbit into a writing desk, he would scour the library shelves for books on the subject of Herbology. The third years were allowed to use Greenhouse Three, and that meant a whole new selection of plants to discover. It was Neville's favourite subject; the only one he thrived in.

After about three weeks of being separated, he spotted Luna walking across the lawn outside the boat dock. He'd been standing in the water, collecting samples of lichen to study as part of an extracurricular project for Professor Sprout. She'd just returned from feeding Thestrals in the forest, though no others seemed to know they existed, her bare feet scrunching the soft mulch on the ground.

"Luna!" Neville cried, still shin deep in water. At hearing her name, Luna instantly turned round.

She waved energetically, "Hi, Neville!" She began to make way over to the dock, enjoying the way the dewy grass tickled her toes. "What are you doing?"

"Extra credit essay on the variety of lichen found in hydrophilic habitats," Neville recited the essay title.

"Wow, have you found any Dandiwurkles down there? They live in the waters around here."

"What are Dandiwurkles?" Neville looked quizzically at Luna. It made him laugh that she wore shoes at night, but not during the day.

"They're small creatures about this big," she put her thumb and forefinger together to make an 'o' shape, "they have fuzzy yellow fur and green beaks. Father says they love to eat some types of lichen and are attracted to the colour red." She pointed towards his red notebook, laid out on the bank, open on a page full of hand written notes and diagrams.

Neville scratched his head. "I can't say I've even since something like you've described. They sound….interesting."

Luna dipped her toes into the water, sat down and rolled up her lilac jeans, then waded out to join Neville. He stood a head taller than her on level ground. "Very. Father says he saw one once, when he was searching rock pools as part of some research for the Quibbler. The issue was dedicated to newly discovered species."

"Are you sure they really have been discovered?"

"Positive! Newt Scamander says so."

"Of course," Neville cast his eyes over to the textbook, keeping his notes from flying away in the slight breeze that was causing the water to ripple. "Scamander knows what he's talking about."

"One day, I'm going to adventure around the world, discovering new things exactly as he does," her voice sweetened with determination. Neville liked that she had a dream. He wanted to share it.

A stronger gust of wind came across the water, causing Neville to lose his balance slightly on the underwater rock he was standing on. Luna looked equally as unbalanced, her arms out to steady her. He grabbed her arm to hold her steady. As she slipped, Neville pulled her into him. Her face was inches from his. Her eyes were so wide, she looked scared.

"Don't worry, I've got you," he whispered into her hair.


	4. Chapter 4 - Warriors of the Garden

As the days past, Neville tried to see more of Luna. He mapped out her class schedule and her favourite spots to be in her free time. She was a frequenter of all the Quidditch matches, whether Ravenclaw was playing or not. Neville spent more time using his binoculars to spot her in the crowd rather than trying to follow the course of the Quaffle.

When they did bump into each other, they spoke of their lives outside of Hogwarts, how they were doing in lessons and more about what they thought being in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw meant. Neville told her all about Hogsmeade, as the third years were allowed to go when the seasons changed. He'd bring her back small sweets from Honeyduke's or a Snapcracker from Zonko's Joke Shop. Once, when they were walking to the Great Hall for lunch, he let the back of his hand brush against hers. She'd caught his pinky finger then pulled him along the corridor at a faster pace. Luna was like a fairy that could vanish as soon as you caught it. Just when Neville thought he had hold of her, she'd slip through his fingers as easily as sand in a timer.

He'd tried wandering down to the Kitchens late at night, when chocolate iced buns had been served for dessert, with only some success at finding her. Clyde, the house elf, would leave out two stools next to a worktop, with a small banquet of goodies. When Neville dined his midnight feast alone, Clyde would come and sit next to him, only taking a bun if Neville invited him to. They'd talk about the mysterious Lovegood girl, with Neville asking constant questions about her.

"She used to always be down here in her first year." Clyde readjusted his apron. "Loved a good cake, that one," he smiled warmly. "I was pleased of the company, I'm the only one that stays down here at this hour."

Neville listened intently.

"She'd help me with the washing up, even though I told her she didn't need to. But she was kind, and loved to dance in the soap bubbles that rose from the sink," Clyde chuckled. "I best get back to the dishes. They're not going to wash themselves."

"I know just the spell for that," Neville whispered, raising his wand, "Lavito." The dishes began to scrub themselves, the plates polished to a high shine. "I'm sure that will help you finish your chores faster."

"Thank you, Mr. Longbottom, you are most kind," Clyde bowed and began to stack the plates.

"Take this," Luna said, grabbing Neville's hand and placing his palm so that it faced the sky. It was one of the last evenings before the Christmas holidays. The two were outside in the courtyard, trying to dodge the snowball fights happening between classes. Neville was trying not to dwell on the fact they wouldn't see each other for two whole weeks. It was time for family, but this year, Neville wasn't in the Christmas spirit. He wanted to stay at Hogwarts, with Luna, whose father was busy away on another Quibbler research trip. She'd be staying at Hogwarts the week before Christmas, then return home for the week before New Year.

Neville tried to swallow his feelings about being lonely over the holidays. "What is it?" he asked.

She placed a small daisy in his hand then curled his fingers around it. "A flower that people mistake for a weed, though it blooms beautifully and helps a garden to grow. People should love daisies, they're like brave warriors of the greenery, fighting for survival and a change to prove themselves," she laughed softly. "Reminded me of you."

"Oh, did it?" Neville smirked. "I'll miss you, Luna." He couldn't have sounded more sincere if he tried.

Smiling, she said, "Write to me, won't you?"

"Everyday," Neville replied in a heartbeat.

He waited outside the Gryffindor common room.

"What are you always doing out here, lad?" the Fat Lady moaned. "I had enough trouble with you last term." She'd promised Neville she'd stay awake until he returned to the common room, whenever he ventured after Luna. She'd enjoyed a two-week rest period, when she could sleep all night without disturbances.

"I'm waiting for a friend," he said. His grandmother had sworn he'd grown a few inches over the holidays. His pajama bottoms had risen far above his scrawny ankles and he felt a cold draft of January air.

"Oh just a friend, is she?" the Fat Lady laughed. "Please. I know love when I see it."

"Who said anything about love?" Neville looked questioningly at the portrait.

"I've never seen a boy so infatuated with a girl," the Fat Lady shrugged. "Trust me, I've been on these walls a lot longer than you can imagine. She winked. He shivered. "Besides, the blond girl loves you too."

Neville coughed as if he'd choked on air. "You think so?"

"The girl was constantly floated past my portrait over the holidays…probably missing your company."

Neville didn't like to think of Luna feeling lonely, but he couldn't help but smile if his ears were tuned into the sound, he caught the first resonances of footsteps down the corridor. "Please be quiet if she comes," he hissed to the buxom woman.

"I won't say a word, my dear," she promised, winking for the second time. She then proceeded to pose dramatically with her wine glass, as if she was singing a whistle note. Neville rolled his eyes, but was glad of her silence.

Sure enough, twenty seconds later, an entranced Luna skipped down the hall, coming to an abrupt stop next to Neville.

"Neville!" she cried, throwing her arms around his neck. "It's so good to see you."

Neville put his finger to her lips, signalling for her to be quieter. The threat of Sirius Black had become more, well, serious over the Christmas break and the staff were on lock down mode. There were new rules and regulations about time between classes and severe penalties for children caught out of bed.

"It's good to see you too," he whispered in reply. Their hug lingered longer than necessary. Neville could almost feel the Fat Lady's stare. Finally, they released each other.

"Do you think Clyde's saved us any of the 'Welcome Home' banquet?"

"Why don't we go and find out?" He held his arm out for her. She took it gracefully, pulling herself into his side. It was good to be home.


	5. Chapter 5 - Missing Piece

Before either of them knew it, the school year was drawing to a close. They'd probably eaten a hundred extra chocolate iced buns between them at their late night rendezvous. Luna has taught Neville all about the strange creatures she believed were hiding somewhere around the world, getting especially passionate when she spoke of Nargles, little critters that could be blamed for every odd occurrence.

They started to learn more about each other, their conversations focusing less on their schoolwork and more on their lives. Neville felt he'd found a true friend in Luna, despite the Fat Lady suggesting there was more. There probably was, but neither of the two was ready to explore the workings of their hearts.

Neville clearing remembered the day when he told Luna about his parents. She looked like she truly understood how he felt and knew exactly how to react. In return for his deepest secrets, Luna shared hers. He found out about her mother's accident, leading to her unfortunate demise.

"How did you cope?" he asked her one spring day, when Luna was assisting him in collecting Poppydore seeds that were to be freshly planted in Greenhouse Two.

"I'm not really sure," she whispered the words. "I think that grief is an instinct, you can't help but feel that way." Neville nodded encouragingly for her to continue. "Sometimes I'd question why it had to happen to me, why it had to be my mother to die, but I realized something. Some magic cannot be controlled."

"And magic shouldn't be used to control others," he added. Luna placed her hand on shoulder in comfort.

"It's hard to deal with when you think nobody understands, but there's always someone out there that will. Like, your missing piece before you realized you knew it was missing."

Neville loved the way Luna spoke, dreamlike yet down to earth, like she could see things that ordinary people couldn't. She was wise, though her intellect was mistaken for oddity. He knew that he'd found his missing piece: Luna.

The level of study required at Hogwarts was demanding, but whenever they could, Neville and Luna would crowd together on a back table in the library, studying textbooks that spoke of fantastic beasts and where to find them. No one paid any attention to the fact Neville was slipping out of the Gryffindor common room with increased frequency. They were too caught up reading the latest Daily Prophet headlines on the whereabouts of Sirius Black, the notorious 'mass murderer'.

When Luna and Neville were walking to the Quidditch pitch to watch a match between Hufflepuff and Slytherin, knowing well that the other house members wouldn't be bothered about watching the match so they could sit together, Luna told him that no one had ever noticed she was gone. She said that she didn't have many friends, though for some mysterious reason, Ginny Weasley had begun to wait for her after their shared classes.

"You're my only real friend, Neville," she shrugged when Neville argued she must have other friends.

"But what about Ginny?" Neville had a sneaky suspicion that after he asked her about Luna, Ginny must have contemplated becoming her friend.

Luna shrugged again. "She is a very polite girl, not out spoken and very friendly. Her company is like having a friend."

"Clyde likes you," he added pathetically. "He often spoke of you when it was just the two of us in the kitchens."

"That's nice." Luna smiled appreciatively.

"You're my only real friend too, Luna." Neville stumbled on the loose gravel leading up to the pitch. She took his hand in hers and didn't let go.

Summer exams drew closer and closer. It became harder to study together, because the second years and third years covered such different topics. Luna loved when Neville would tell her about Herbology lessons, the speed of his speech increasing as he grew more enthusiastic about what he was teaching her.

"I'll be well prepared for the third year exams now," she giggled, tucking strands of hair behind her ear. "Maybe I should ask to take them this year instead?"

Neville was just pleased to find someone that was interested in what he had to say. When he'd been paired with Harry Potter in class, he'd seemed bored as Neville recited the properties of different plants.

"I can't wrap my head around any of this Divination stuff," he complained. Luna was especially interested in the subject, despite not being eligible for the class for another year.

"It's all subjective," she explained. "When Trelawney tells you to look inside the crystal ball and tell her what you see, you have to look inside yourself too. The art of your inner eye can take years to master. The Quibbler did a double page spread in the latest issue about it." She leant him a copy of the magazine – she seemed to have multiple copies on her person at all times. "You're going to do so well, Neville. I can tell."

"How, your inner eye?"

"No, I just believe in you." As soon as the words left her lips, she reached across the table and planted a small kiss on his cheek.

The feeling of Luna's kiss lingered on Neville's cheek for the rest of the afternoon. When he returned to the common room, the Fat Lady smiled.

When it came to the exams, both Neville and Luna were as prepared as they could be. When the last exam was over, they decided to celebrate by the docks, leaving their shoes on the bank and dipping their feet in the water, the cool liquid offering relief from exam induced stress.

"I'm so glad it's over!" Neville cried, letting the breeze carry his voice across the Black Lake.

Luna cheered, twirling around, her feet splashing the water. "We did it!"

"The year is over!"

"The year is over," Luna repeated, her voice suddenly sad. Neville noticed the change in tone at once.

"What's wrong, Luna?"

"The year is over." There was no other explanation. She wanted to explain how she felt in less vague terms, but felt too naïve to decipher her feelings. However, Neville nodded like he understood perfectly what she was trying to say.

"Remember the last time we were standing in the lake?"

Luna nodded, feeling a pink blush flood her cheeks. The memory made her feel happier than anything else.

"I meant what I said." He took her hand. "I've got you and I won't let go."

She felt tears in her eyes, feeling like her heart would burst with happiness.

Neville put his other arm around her waist. "Let's dance."

"You can dance?"

"I'll have you know I am an excellent dancer," Neville said, beginning to swaying the two of them in the ankle-deep water.

"Don't worry, I believe in you," Luna grinned.


	6. Chapter 6 - Melted Hearts

_Dear Luna, _Neville began to write but as hard as he tried nothing of any consequence would be written next. _I'm having a marvelous summer _wasn't exactly true. His grandmother had roped him in to a lot of chores, like planting up her new vegetable garden and going on multiple shopping trips to Diagon Alley for school supplies. He tried to write the three words he knew were true, but his quill won't scratch over the paper. He just ended up writing _I miss you _instead, but he couldn't just send a letter saying _I miss you. _Could he?  
Luna had written many times in the past week, outlining all her latest adventures, investigating the woods by her house. She said she had proof that Dandiwurkles existed and couldn't wait to show him when they met up at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. That letter was dated a week ago, meaning they were meeting that day. Neville had sent a hasty reply saying that he would meet her at 2 o'clock but said little else. Luna knew not to worry, she was perfectly happy in her own little world.  
He worried about what he would wear. What would look best? His striped sweater seemed like the best option, even though it was mildly warm outside. Still, they would be eating ice cream. _That will cool me down,_ he thought as he pulled the sweater over his head, ruffling his hair at the same time. His grandmother believed he was meeting with Seamus Finnigan, as she wouldn't have allowed him to go out alone with a girl. Neville had rolled his eyes at her logic, but agreed to her terms, saying he'd be back by 5 o'clock at the latest.  
"Say hello to his mother for me, dear," she said as she hustled Neville into the fireplace, placing a handful of black ash into his palm. "Speak clearly," were her final words before he through the ash into the grate and shouted "Diagon Alley".

The journey took mere seconds, leaving him in the fireplace in one of the changing rooms at Madam Malkin's. He dusted off his clothes and combed through his hair with his fingers. Little could be done to stop it sticking up out of place, but Luna wouldn't hurried down the stairs and out the door of the shop, carefully to leave whilst Madam Malkin was busy with customers, re-fitting a fifth year Slytherin with longer robes. She didn't mind students dropping in through her fireplace, but Neville knew if she saw the state of his clothes, she'd demand he change at once.  
The Ice Cream Parlor was located on the North side of Diagon Alley. It only took a minute for Neville to reach the pastel coloured shop, trying not to barge into too many people on his way. The streets were crowded that afternoon, corresponding with the new shipment of broomsticks that had just arrived, causing people of all ages to crowd around the shop window, marveling at the new Firebolt.  
As soon as he entered the door, Neville spotted Luna. She was perched on a window seat, perusing the ice cream menu. She wore pink dungarees and had her hair tied up in a ponytail. Her radish earrings had been swapped in favour of little ice cream cones. She looked up when the bell rang, signalling his entrance.  
"Neville, over here." She waved and pointed to the seat adjacent to hers.  
He smiled as he approached the table. "How are you, Luna?"  
"I'm doing well, thank you," she bowed her head politely. "My sweet tooth and I were just deciding what to order."  
"How about Everything?" Neville suggested, pointing to the last option on the menu.  
"Yes, that sounds perfect. I didn't really feel in the mood for making decisions," she laughed. "Would you like to share it with me? I doubt I could eat it all by myself."  
"As a brave, young Gryffindor it is my duty to help damsels in distress, especially when it comes to frozen desserts." Neville waved the waiter over. It was Florean Fortescue himself.  
"What can I get for you marvelous children, this afternoon?" He bent down to their table, his notepad in hand.  
"We'll have Everything, Florean. With two spoons," Neville ordered.  
"An excellent choice, if I may say so. Everything happens to be a favourite of mine. I'll have it ready for you in a flick of a cat's tail." He hopped from their table to the serving area, and began to add scoops of every ice cream flavour to a dish.  
"So," Luna said, folding her hands under her chin, her elbows resting on the table. "What does it feel like to be a fourth year?"  
"No different than being in third," Neville replied, fiddling with the sachets of sugar on the table. "Of course, school doesn't start for another three weeks, so I have plenty of time to adapt."  
"Yes. Three weeks sounds like an awfully long time. I don't know what I shall do with myself. Father has another trip scheduled for the last week of the summer, and says that I'm more than welcome to accompany him."  
"That sounds exciting. You do love adventures."  
Luna grinned. "But I've discovered everything there is to discover around my house, how will I fill the other two weeks?"  
"With ice cream," Neville said as Florean set down the massive dish of ice cream. "This will take you two weeks to finish."  
"Can I get you any toppings? Every flavour beans, chocolate tadpoles?"  
"No thank you," Luna said, taking one of the long sundae spoons at dipping it into the Strawberry and Peach flavoured scoop. "Delicious!" she declared.  
"Enjoy!" Florean doffed his cap to the children, and then returned to the serving desk, taking a sneaky handful of every flavour beans for himself.  
Neville tasted the White Chocolate Yoghurt scoop. That was his favourite. Then he tested out the Blueberry scoop. No, that was his favourite. Luna was right. Decisions, especially when it comes to ice cream, were hard.  
The pair continued to talk over their ice cream. It was like they were creating a bubble around themselves, forgetting the other people in the shop and drowning out the murmur of conversation. Things were going perfectly. Just as Neville began to debate the best Quidditch team in the current trials, a sneering face peered in through the window. Draco Malfoy.  
"Well, well, look what we have here," he cackled as soon as he entered the shop, Crabbe ad Goyle standing loyally behind him. "Two little love birds is it?" He elbowed Goyle in the shoulder, which meant he wanted ice cream. Without hesitation, he drew up to Luna and Neville's table, leering at them both, while Goyle got a triple scoop sundae for his boss.  
"Wh-what do you want, Malfoy?" Neville said, putting his spoon on his napkin and turning to face Draco. Ever since the end of the first year, when it had been his ten points that caused Slytherin to loose the House Cup, Draco had had it in for Neville.  
_Think bravery,_ Neville reminded himself. _I have to protect Luna.  
_ "Oh don't stop what you're doing on my account." Draco laughed. "Tell me, what were you taking about whilst staring into each others' eyes?" He snapped a pink wafer out of Luna's scoop of ice cream and ate it, daring Neville to do something about.  
"Just leave us alone, Malfoy," Neville tried to add more volume to his voice. He wasn't Neville Longbottom, the loser. He was Neville Longbottom, the hero. "At least I have friends that are actually interested in what I have to say." He pointed to Crabbe and Goyle, who were both pressing their noses up to the ice cream counter, drooling over the multiple flavours.  
"Shut up, you little toad." Malfoy narrowed his eyes at Neville. "You'll pay for that one!" He shoved his hand into his trimmed cloak and drew out his wand.  
"Don't you dare hurt him!" Luna's voice seemed to calm the crowd. Draco even put his wand down.  
"Look here, Longbottom, got yourself a girlfriend," he snorted. "Why can no-one stand up for themselves anymore?"  
Neville grabbed Luna's hand. "I guess you wouldn't know a thing about friendship would you, Malfoy?"  
"Oh, go and cry to your grandmother, Longbottom." He pressed the tip of his wand to Neville's chest. "This isn't over." He turned to the counter. "Crabbe! Goyle! We're leaving."  
The two goons lumbered to the door.  
"See you at school," Draco hissed, before slithering out of the shop.

"You were so brave back there, Neville!" Luna squeezed his hand as they walked down Diagon Alley, blending in to all the cloaked witches and wizards out to enjoy the sunshine. Passers by looked at the couple of school children and smiled, remembering the warm feelings of their youth, and the fresh flowers of young love.  
"I had a reason to be." He smiled at Luna. He wanted to remember the exact shape of her face, the way blonde hair fell around her face, the way her earrings twinkled in the sunlight. Her eyes gleamed. She was beautiful.  
Luna held Neville's gaze. They stopped, standing outside a small square, filled with green grass and blooming daisies. She wanted to remember the way his face looked when he smiled, and the awkward cowlick on the top of his head. "Now when we go back to school, you can brag to anyone that will listen that you took on Draco Malfoy and won!" Luna cheered.  
"I don't think I won. He's just a coward, afraid to fight without back up."  
"You didn't have back up, it was fair and one-on-one."  
"I had you, though."  
"But I didn't do anything!"  
Neville bent down and plucked a daisy from its stem, placing it in her beautiful hair, shining like spun gold. "You did more than you know."  
Luna blushed. The pink colour lit her face, making her look like she was glowing. She tilted her face up to his. He tried not to let nerves get the better of him. She leaned in just slightly. Neville blinked.  
"Oh no is that the time?" he panicked. "I have to get to a fireplace!"  
Luna gasped and shook her head. She caught his hand. "We'll make it if we run!"


End file.
